Posts Tagged ‘diwali lakshmi puja’

What to do during five days of Diwali

What to do during five days of Diwali

Diwali, better known as “Festival of Lights,” is a 5 day festival, which is celebrated all over India, with great enthusiasm. Diwali signifies the victory of good over evil. Mostly children, during Diwali enjoy the most by lighting fireworks, lamps and dressing themselves up in new clothes.

Diwali is celebrated for five days, and each day is dedicated to a special ideal and thought. Let us find what we should do during these five days of Diwali:

Dhanteras: The first day

The first day out of five days of Diwali is known as Dhanteras or Dhanvantari Triyodasi. According to the lunar calendar, this day falls on the 13^th lunar day of the dark fortnight (Krsna Paksa) of lunar month of Kartik. The legend goes that on this day Lord Dhanvantari appeared from Casual Ocean with Ayurveda. This day marks the beginning of the five day festival of Diwali.

Hindus on this day, bath during the sunset and offer earthen lamps with cooked preprations to the Lord of Death, Yamaraj, to protect one from untimely death. It is best to make offerings near the Tulasi plant (the holy basil), or a Banyan tree.

This year this day falls on November 3, 2010.

Choti Diwali: The second day

The second day of Diwali is also known as Narak Caturdasi. On this particular day Lord Krishna killed the demon named Narakasur, and gave relief to al the denizens. People go for oil massage on this day to remove any tiredness, and prepare themselves for the celebration of third and the most important day: Diwali.

This particular night the earthen lamps are not lit. They should be offered only day beforr (Trayadosi) and then the day after (Diwali proper). Please consult an astrologer for right guidance on this matter.

Diwali, the Lakshmi Puja; the third day

This day is much awaited by all. People offer prayers and worship to Mother Lakshmi on this day. They seek the blessings of Wealth and Fortune from the Goddess; but, they often neglect the worship of Sri Narayan, unfortunately, not knowing, that without her husband, the Goddess does not stay in a place for long.

Govardhan Pooja, the fourth day

Many Hindus on this day perform worship of Govardhan hill. The legend goes that around five thousand years ago, Lord Krishna asked His family and people of Vraja to perform worship to Sri Govardhan. From that time on, Hindus honour Sri Govardhan on this day, by offering worship and prayers to Him.

Bhaiya Dooj, the fifth day

The fifth and the last day of the Diwali is called Bhratri or Bhaiya Dooj. This day is dedicated to the sacred relationship of brothers and sisters.

Millenniums ago, Yamuna Devi (the river) was visited by her brother Yamraj (the Lord of Death), on this day. Since that time, brothers visit their sisters on this day with gifts and cash, and sisters feed their brothers sumptuously and pray for their long life and well being.

For more info and puja details please go to: http://www.myastrologypuja.com/diwali-special-puja.php

Lakshmi puja vidhi on Dipawali

Devi Lakshmi is the Hindu Goddess of wealth, money and good fortune. The Goddess of Fortune has always a special place in Her devotees home, but she is especially worshipped during the time of Dipawali, the Festival of Lights in her eight different forms, also known as Ashta (eight) Lakshmi.

Dipawali is celebrated for five days, and Lakshmi puja is the most important day of all of the five days; it is observed on the third day. This year (2010), the Dipawali falls on November 5.

All Hindu people worship Goddess Lakshmi on this day; but not everybody is aware of the proper recommended procedure to do the same.

It is very difficult for an ordinary person or a layman to do all the rituals 100% accurate, as stated in the scriptures. It was always nice to take help of an expert, or invite such person to perform the worship or ritual on your behalf. However, if it is not possible to do so, then a person at least should learn the basic steps, and try to do as best he or she can. Here, we would try to provide you with a broad guideline, of different steps involving the puja vidhi (worship ritual) of the Goddess of Fortune.

Cleaning your House

Many Hindus people get their house white washed, and make every inch of their house neat and clean.  The belief goes, that Lakshmi Devi only enters the clean house. So, as the first step of worshipping Devi Lakshmi, you should make your home clean thoroughly. Light earthen lamps and candles in the evening, and place them at everyplace in your house; this signifies lighting the path for Devi Lakshmi to enter your house.

Making an Altar

Lay down a fresh cloth, preferably red on a small raised, sanctified platform (can on a bench or table). Place the deities or pictures of Sri Sri Lakshmi Narayan, Sri Ganesha and Sri Saraswati, on this cloth. On one side of the cloth spread nine mounds of rice grains, and keep betel nuts on top of this mound, which signifies Navagraha (nine planets) presiding deities.

Installing the Pitcher

Fill a pot with water or rice and place it in front of the deities; adorn the same with betel leaves. Place a coconut on top of this pot. Cover and tie the pot with a fresh red cloth. Make a ‘Swastik’  symbol on the pot, which represents purity and prosperity. This pot is known as  Kalash or Poorna Kumbha, representing the Universal power.

Starting the Puja

Decorate the deities with flowers and vermillion, and place puja thali with few silver or rupee coins in it, in front of Them.

Take some water on your left hand and sprinkle in on your head for purification. Call out your and your family’s name in order to take sankalpa. Lit lamps with ghee wicks and offer incense sticks.

Perform Ganesh Puja by offering some flowers and akshata, and pray Him to remove all obstacles from your path of devotion to Sri Sri Lakshmi and Narayan, and also pray Goddess Saraswati to give you proper intelligence for the same.

Now do abhishek of Sri Sri Lakshmi and Narayan with ghee, milk, honey, curd and sugar. Silver and Gold coins on puja thali should be bath with milk. Offer sweets preparations to the deities after this. Chant the verses (Lakshmi mantras), and offer prayers welcoming Her in your home.

Don’t offer to offer your prayers to Sri Narayan, ,as without her husband she never comes anywhere. She remains stable at a place, only if her husband Narayan is there.

Leave the offering for some time, and then you can all honour the prasadam (sanctified food) offered to the deities.

You should also establish Laxmi Karak; please visit http://www.myastrologypuja.com/diwali-special-puja.php and http://www.myastrologypuja.com/diwali-special-hungama-package.php, for more information.